By Wayne Goldsmith

ir Alex Ferguson would stop training to talk one-on-one with players. In that moment, they were the only person who mattered.

Laurie Lawrence told me: “Don’t put heart rate before heart.” If you see a moment to inspire an athlete — grab it. They can always do more reps later.

Phil King, Olympic gold medal coach, put it this way: think about the impact of missing coaching opportunities.

Three coaches. Same message.

Physiology matters.

Periodization matters.

But none of it matters more than the moments when you can truly connect with an athlete and change the way they see themselves.

Who cares if their heart rate drops for two minutes?

That conversation - just swimming coach and swimmer - might change their career forever.

Stop training. Start coaching.

How do you balance the science with the human moments?

Wayne Goldsmith

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